Addiction is basically a disease that can have negative consequences on the professional life, physical health and the well-being of a person. Addiction manifests itself in several forms and all the different forms of addiction have their very own series of risks. Addiction prompts certain types of chemical alterations within the brain affecting behavior, the perception of pain and pleasure and memory. Alcohol and drug abuse are voluntary behaviors turning conscious decisions into compulsive actions. Any kind of addiction causes major financial, social and health consequences. Health/addiction is thereby co-related.

The Medical Consequences of Addiction

People suffering from addiction have one or more than one accompanying medical problems. These medical problems might include cardiovascular or lung disease, cancer, mental disorders and stroke. Chest x-rays, blood tests and imaging scans are some methods of diagnosis used for determining the damaging effects of using drugs and other chemicals for a long time. As per research, tobacco smoke is one of the major causes of mouth, larynx, throat, lung, blood, pancreas, bladder, cervix and stomach cancer. Additionally, certain drugs like inhalants are quite toxic for the nerve cells. They might destroy or damage the nerve cells located in the peripheral nervous system and the brain.

The Effects of Substance Abuse on the Health of an Individual

Compulsive cravings in combination with the prolonged use of substance can result in physical consequences. There are substances that can cause great strain on some of the most important organs along with the respiratory and the venous system. Different types of addiction can change the physical make-up of the user even if the user is using the substance for just a few weeks. The physical consequences of addiction include:

Hormone imbalance

Organ damage

Fertility and prenatal problems

Cancer caused by steroid and nicotine use.

HIV/AIDS

Gastrointestinal disease

Additionally, the chronic use of some substances can result in prolonged neurological impairment like mental health issues and exacerbating.

Emotional and Neurological Effects of Addiction include several mental health problems like:

Memory loss

Anxiety

Depression

Aggression

Paranoia

Psychosis

Mood swings

Impaired judgment

Hallucinations

Impulsiveness

Complete loss of self-control

Death is the ultimate health consequence of addiction. This can be caused either directly in situations like heart attack and overdose or eventually with the development of AIDs or drug-induced cancer.

Addiction Withdrawal

When an individual becomes addicted to a certain substance, his or her body becomes completely dependent on that substance. Removing the substance or cutting down the use of the substance can cause the user’s body to enter a zone of complete physical withdrawal. The symptoms of withdrawal include:

Muscle tremors

Severe headaches

Nausea

Addiction not only influences the health of an individual but physical addiction can result in further damaging the physical and mental well-being of the user. Relationship trouble, job loss and financial distress are some of the most common consequences of addiction. These problems might result in physical stress putting the user at the risk of hypertension, heart disease and headaches.